Katamari Damacy Wins Design Award

Now, we're here to report that Katamari Damacy, Namco's sticky ball puzzle game for the PlayStation 2, has won a "Good Design Award" from the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization (JIDPO).

The "Good Design Award" is the JIDPO's evaluation/recommendation system for products that are easy to use or particularly useful. Typically the award is given to things like cell phones, handbags, and wristwatches. This is the first time a video game has won the "Good Design Award." The JIDPO cited Damacy's easy-to-access gameplay and its artistic yet simplistic aesthetics as the main reasons for giving it the award.

Namco also received two other Good Design Awards this year. One for the taiko drum controller included in the home version of Taiko Drum Master, and another for a speech synthesis device that the company designed to assist the blind. Sony's EyeToy USB Camera received a Good Design Award as well.

The JIDPO was established in 1957 by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry to recognize and promote exceptional design and appeal in a wide array of products (electronics, appliances, tools, etc.)